Steering mechanism



May 14, 1935. E. c. ALT

sTEERNG MECHANIS'M Filed June 29, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 mvENToR- Elige/Ze L'. .//ZI `BY Wm/1441, W l ATTOR Ys WITNEssEs May 14, 1935.

E. C. ALT

STEERING MECHANI SM Filed June 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVENTOR vage/ze gm BY M w/ ATToRN Y Patented May 14, 1935 UNITED STATES Paras orgies STEERING MECHANISM Eugene C. Alt, Brooklyn, N. Y. rApplication June 29,1934, Serial No. 733,139

` 9 claims. v (C1. 28o- 91) This invention relates to a Asteering mechanism for vehicles of that vcharacter whereby a vehicle may be steered to travel straightaway; to'turn left and right in the usual manner and/or in very short left and right circles or turns; to travel obliquely left or right; and to travelv directly sidewise or laterally, either left `orf/right, at a right angle with respect to th longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

The invention is advantageously applicable to xvehicles having front and rear traction and steeringwheels, or, in other words, vehicles `having four wheels which may be moved simultaneously in different directions, so that a vehicle may bey made to travelin the directions :and manner aforesaid.

Theprincipal object of the invention is the yprovisionin steering mechanism of the indicated character, of improved wheel steering gear which will be simple, eicient and readily operable to cause a vehicle to follow the mentioned various paths of travel. l l i. The nature of the invention and its distinguishing features and advantages will appear ,when the` following specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, .inV

which LFigure l is a. top view of a vehicle embodying the steering mechanism of the invention;

Fig; 2 is a longitudinal section kon the line 2--2 of Fig.1;

,Y Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 -3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, but showing the wheels disposed to cause the vehicle to travel in a circle;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the wheels disposed to cause the vehicle to travel sidewise at a right angle with respect to its longitudinal axis.

v It is to'be understood that the steering mechanism of the present invention is applicable to varioustypes of vehicles, and in the present instance, by way of example, is shown appliedr to a youngsters scooter. The vehicle as illustrated in the drawings, consists of a platform or deck I0 mounted on front and rear bolsters II and I2 respectively. The vehicle also includes the front andv rear traction and steering wheels I3 and I4 respectively. Each of rthe `wheels has a knucklev I5 and each knuckle I5 has `an arm IS. Thereare two front wheels I3y which are connectecl. with the front bolster II', and the two rear wheels I4 which are connected with the rear bolster I2.` Each bolster IlA and I2'is cut out or bifurcated as at I'I to receive the knuckles I5 of the wheels, and a bolt I8 passes vertically through the bolster and each knuckle I 5, to thus connect the wheels I3 and Iii with the bolster I I vand I2 respectively for pivotal movement on 5 a vertical axis. The arms I5 cn the knuckles l5 of the front wheels I3` are connected by a connecting rod I9,and the arms I6 -of the rear wheel knuckles l5 are connected by a connecting rod 20. The ends of each of the rods I9 and 2li` is pivotally connected as at 2i with the arms' i6 respectively. The wheels I3 are thus connected to move in unison, and the wheels I4 are similarly connected. AThe parts hereinbefore described constitutey the vehicle or running gear.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided steering gear whereby the wheels I3 and I4 may be moved lto guide the vehicle to travel straightaway; to turn left and right in the usual manner, and/or in Very short left and right circles or turns; to travel obliquely left or right; and to travel directly sidewise or laterally, either left orright, at a right angle Withfrespect tothe longitudinal axis of the Vehicle. The said steering gear includes a lever 22, whose fulcrum 23 A25 is on one end thereof and fixed to a block y24 v on the underside of the platform I0 at one side thereof.' .The lever 22 has a longitudinal slot 25 therein between its ends. The end of the s lever 22 opposite its fulcrumed end is pivotally 30 connected as at 2G with one end of a curved link 21 whose opposite end is: pivotally connected as. at 28 with a lug 29 on the knuckle I5 of the right front wheel I3. A second lever 3D is employed whose fulcrum 3l is disposed between its ends, the fulcrum being xed to a block 32 on the underside of the platform Ill near the middle thereof.` The lever 30 has a longitudinal slot 33 in its front end andv a somewhat longer longitudinal slot 34 in its rear end. A pivot pin 35 is fixed to the connecting rod 20 and extends into the slot 34 to thus provide a pin and slot connection between the lever 3i! and the connecting rod 2li and thereby permit pivoting and sliding movement between these parts. Retractile springs 3% are employed to aid in returning the parts to a normal relationship in which the wheels I3 and ifi willr be disposed parallel tothe longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Each spring 35 has one end connected with the lever 33 as at 3l and its other end' is connected as at 38 with the connecting rod 2li. Manually operable means is employed to operate'the levers 22 and 3i). The said means includes a control element or stick 39 which is mounted'for univer; 5

sal movement by a gimbal 4I) or equivalent means carried `by the platform I0, the latter having an opening 4I therein to accommodate such that by moving the Vcontrol element orr` stick 39 directly forward, the front wheels ,I3`l

Y only will be turned to the left, through the intervention of the lever 22, link 21, knuckles I5 and connecting rod I9. In this manner the vehicle may be caused to travel or *turnA to the left. By moving the element 39 directly rearward, the front wheels I3 will be moved simultaneously to the right, through the intervention of the aforesaidrparts and therebyrcausing the vehicle to travel or turn to the right. By moving the control elemeni; 39 laterally to the left or at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the rear wheels I4 will be moved on their pivots I8 to the left, through the intervention of the lever 30, connecting-rod 20, knuckles I5, thereby causing the rear end of the vehicle to swing to the left as it is moving in a forward direction, to make a rear end turn. VBy moving the control element 39 directly laterally to the right, aright rear end turn may be made, through the intervention of thelever30, connecting rod 20 and knuckles I5 of the rear wheels I4.Y By moving the control element 39forward and to the left, the front wheels I3 and also the rear wheels I4 will ,bemoved to the left, by reason of the 'opera tion of both levers 22 and 30 and connected parts, l' thereby causing the vehicle to move obliquely to the left. By moving the control elementv 39 rearwardly and to the right, the vehicle may be caused to move or travel obliquely to theright, since the front wheels I3 and Y the rearl wheels I4 will be disposed to the right and all of the parts of theesteeringgear will operate as will be understood. e

By moving the control element 39 forwardly and tothe left, the 'front wheels I3 will be turned V-to the left, and the rear wheels I4 will be turned fto'theright, by reason vof the operation of all of the movable parts of the steering gear,` thereby causing the vehicle to travel in a circle of relatively short radius tothe left, and by moving the control element 39' rearwardly and to the right, the vehicle may becaused to travel in a 'circle' of a lshort radius to the right, since the front wheels'I3 will be turned to `the left, as shown in Figure 4. By moving the'control ele-. "ment 39 hard rearwardly to the left to the limit, -all of the wheels will bemoved or turned to positions at right anglesto the longitudinal axis of `the-"vehicle, thereby making it possible for the vehicle to travel directly sidewise or laterally, either to the left or right, as shown 1in Figure 5.

In lorder to instruct the user in the operation of thecontrol element 39 to cause the vehicle topfollow the desired paths of travel, legends L are inscribed, printed or`otherwise applied to k.the upper surfaceof the platform v f'Itjjis' to-be understood that `the invention is notjrestricted to the vprecise arrangement of parts shown and described, as details of construction may be modified and rearranged withvlever means. Y A

' 2, In steering mechanism for a vehicle, the.

combination with front and rear traction and lsteering wheels of the vehicle, of steeringV gear connected 4with said wheels, said gear including a slotted lever whose fulcrum is Aon one end,a second slotted lever Ywhose fulcrum is between its ends, amanually operable control element, and

means mounting said elementv for `universal movement,` the lower Aend of: said element Vbeing slidably engaged in the slots in said levers.

3. In steering mechanism fora vehicle, the combination withV front andV rear tractionl'and steering wheels, knuckles for the wheels respecf tively, and rods, one rod connecting the knuckles of the front wheels and the other rod connecting the knuckleskof the rear wheels, of slotte'dlever means, a link connecting the lever meansfand one of the Vfront wheel knuckles, a pivot4V` slide connection betweenl the lever means and the rod connecting the rear wheel knuckles, a manually operable control element, Vvand meansV mounting said element for universal'movement, the lower end of said element being slidably engaged in slots insaid lever means.

4. In steering mechanism, steering gear including a connecting rod, slotted-lever means, a pivot and slide connection between said rod and lever means, a manually operable control element, and means mounting said 'element for universal movement, the lowerfend of said element being slidablyengaged in slots in said leve means. v Y

V5. In steering mechanism, steering gear including a connecting rod, slottedlever means,

a pivot and slide connection between said rod and lever means, a retractile spring having one end connected with said rod: and the opposite end connected with said lever means, a'manuV ally operable control elementhfA and means mounting said element for-universal'movement,

said element being slidably engagedin slots in said lever means.

6. In steering mechanism,-steering gear including a connecting rod, a lever whose fulcrum is on one end, a second lever whoserfulcrum is between its ends, .a pivotand slide connection between the second lever and saidrrod, a manually operable control element, and means mounting'said element for universal movement, the lower end of said element being slidably engaged in slots respectively in *said levers.

7. In steering mechanism, steering gearincluding a connecting rod, a lever whose fulcrum is on one end and having a straight slot therein, a second lever whose fulcrum is between its ends, a pivot and slide connection between one end of the second lever and said rod, the other end of the second lever having a straight slot therein, a manually operable control element,`

and means mounting said element for universal movement, the lower end of said element being slidably engaged in the straight slots in said levers.

8. In steering mechanism, steering gear including a connecting rod, slotted lever means, a pivot slide connection between said rod and lever means, a manually operable control element, means mounting said element for universal movement, the lower end of said element being slidably engaged in slots inl said lever means, a traction wheel knuckle, and a link connecting the lever means and the knuckle.

9. In steering mechanism, steering gear including a connecting rod, a lever whose fulcrum is on one end and having a straight slot therein, a second lever Whose fulcrum is between its ends, a pivot slide connection between one end of the second lever and said rod, the other end of the second lever having a straight slot therein, a manually operable controlelement, means mounting said element for universal movement, the lower end of said element being slidably engaged in the straight slots in said levers, a traction wheel knuckle, and a link having` one end pivotally connected with the slotted end of the first lever and the opposite end pivotally connected with said knuckle.

EUGENE C. ALT. 

